The ones people ask about
Benzyl Alcohol
Benzyl alcohol is a simple aromatic alcohol. In skincare it is mainly a preservative, stopping microbes from growing once a product is opened. It also occurs naturally in some flower and fruit oils.
- On a list as
- Benzyl Alcohol
- What it does
- Preservative and solvent
- Where it comes from
- Synthetic; also found naturally in some plant oils
- Vegan?
- Yes
Why it’s in a formula
It is an effective, widely used preservative, often paired with another such as dehydroacetic acid.
- It is also one of the fragrance allergens the EU requires brands to name on a label above certain amounts. In our pieces it is there as a preservative, not for scent, and their lists carry no “fragrance”. But if you know you react to benzyl alcohol, the pieces below aren't for you, including La Rosée and Le Peptide, which we otherwise suggest for sensitive skin.
- It isn't the drying kind of alcohol. That is ethanol, often listed as “alcohol denat.”, which none of our lists contains.
Where you’ll find it at Divina
Read from each piece’s published ingredient list. 4 pieces.
Le Peptide
Matrixyl 3000 Peptide Serum — 30ml
$128
Listed as Benzyl Alcohol
Cruelty-free; vegan status not confirmed
Questions
Is benzyl alcohol a fragrance?
It can be. It is used as a preservative and as a fragrance ingredient, and it is on the EU's list of labelled fragrance allergens. Most people tolerate it well; a small number are allergic to it.
Is benzyl alcohol drying like other alcohols?
No. It isn't the drying ethanol found in some toners, and it is used in small amounts.
How we know: every ingredient list on this site is the manufacturer’s own, read piece by piece and shade by shade, and the pieces above are worked out from those lists each time the site is built. Ingredient names and functions follow the EU’s CosIng database. This page describes cosmetic ingredients; it isn’t medical advice.
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